My Soul, Your Beats
by ombre nocturne
Summary: Collection of Ichi/Hime drabbles from the Bad Shield community on Livejournal! Ratings may vary.
1. To Catch a Hime

_Yes, I know. I'm crazy for starting up yet ____another__ project. But I swear, I have a good reason for this! D: I've joined the community _**_Bad_Shield_**_ on livejournal and every week there's a new prompt and everyone makes requests for what they'd like to see written based on that prompt. So expect updates once a week (or every other week in case I don't have time to write a prompt that week.) Not only is it fun, but it's something to help me get out of my writer's block funk and back into the swing of things. :)_

_**Prompt:** Crack AU_

_**Request:** Ichigo is the local super hero and Orihime is his sexy criminal rival that he just can't catch! (Made by the lovely **CrystalDawn**!)_

_**Disclaimer:** Bleach and all characters, etc. belong to **Tite Kubo**. All rights reserved._

* * *

"Oh goodie, the coast is clear."

Humming in pleasure at her good fortune, Orihime reached into the small bag secured around her hips and pulled out a device resembling a compass. Placing it against the glass, she gritted her teeth as the grating sound of glass being cut assaulted her ears. Popping the circular piece of glass out from the window, she tucked the device back into her bag before snaking a slender arm through the opening to trip the latch on the window. Smiling at the distinct clink of the lock moving, she withdrew her arm and pried the window open before slipping inside.

Landing silently, her gaze cautiously swept across the dark room, looking for anyone who may be wandering the halls. Upon seeing no one, she quickly padded her way across the room.

_'It should be just down the hall and to the left_,' she mused as she peeked around a corner.

Her eyes widened as the tell-tale light of a security guard's flash light rounded the corner. Pressing herself against the wall, she held her breath as the lumbering man slowly made his way past her, oblivious as to what was about to transpire. As he continued out of sight, Orihime released the breath she had been holding and held a hand to her racing heart.

_'That was close. I need to be careful.'_

Without another thought, she snuck down the hallway, thankful for the dark outfit she had decided to wear. Edging around another corner, her eyes lit up in wonder as she set her sights on the object of her affection. Tip-toeing up to the glass case, she couldn't suppress the sense of awe she felt every time she was about to fulfill one of her jobs.

Stopping suddenly, she frowned as she reached into her bag and pulled out a small aerosol can. Spraying the contents, she patiently waited for the mist to disperse. Pursing her lips, she surveyed the red laser beams surrounding the case. Tapping her foot against the tiled floor, she momentarily weighed her options before huffing in irritation.

"Mou~ Why do they always have to use these stupid lasers?" she whined. Shaking her head, she frowned in determination as she began to carefully maneuver her way between the lasers. After having successfully done so, she grinned as she set her eyes on the prize. Lifting the glass box that surrounded it, she snatched the statue from its perch.

"Finally!" she breathed. She traced her finger down the ornately sculpted statue, her brown eyes shining in triumph. Stashing the statue in her bag, she quickly made her way past the lasers once again and started making her way towards the window.

"I've finally got you now!"

Gasping in surprise, Orihime whirled around, her eyes settling on a figure standing on the other side of the room. Even in the dark, she couldn't mistake that cape or the ridiculous mask.

"Why, if it isn't The Mighty Berry!" she exclaimed. "How wonderful to see you again!"

She could almost see his eye twitch and it brought her an odd sense of happiness to see that she could still irritate him, even after all these years.

"I've told you, that's not my name!" he bellowed. Taking a deep breath, he reined in his anger and focused on the matter at hand. "Don't think you can get away this time."

"What makes you think that you've got me cornered this time?" Despite the playful tone of her voice, Orihime's heart was racing as she frantically tried to figure out how to escape him once again. After quickly glancing around the room, she realized that her only option would be to escape through the window.

Ichigo smirked at the brief look of panic that crossed his rival's face. "Just a hunch."

Orihime's lips puckered into a pout at his statement, fearing that she really did have no way out this time. She merely stood there as he began to close the distance between then, her mind racing.

Should she make a run for it?

No, he was too close. He'd catch her for sure.

Tentatively, she took a step backwards, her heart hammering in fear. Through his mask, she could see his brown eyes glinting in triumph, accompanied by the corners of his lips curving into a smirk.

"Give it up. It's over," he murmured.

"Are you sure about that?" she whispered. A dull blush stained her cheeks at the thought of what she was about to do, but she couldn't get caught. There was no way she could survive prison!

_'But maybe...maybe if I can distract him long enough, I can get to the windowsill without him noticing!'_

Reaching up to the zipper positioned just below her chin, she hesitated briefly before sliding in down the track ever so slowly. Biting her lower lip, she hoped that her tactic would work as the zipper made its way down the track until a generous amount of cleavage was peeking through the dark material.

"Wh-what the fuck are you doing?" stammered Ichigo, his eyes nearly bugging out of his head. In all of their confrontations, she had never done this!

"Aw, you don't like it?" she inquired, her lips forming a tempting pout.

"This isn't the time to discuss whether or not I l-like..._that_!"

"It's too bad you don't like it," murmured Orihime. She quickly zipped up her shirt, placing one foot on the windowsill. "It's been fun Berry-kun, but I'm afraid I need to get going."

Ichigo could only stare dumbly as she clamored out of the opening and disappeared into the night. Running to the window, he cursed when he found no trace of her. Slamming his fist against the wooden frame, he scowled as he scolded himself for letting his hormones get the better of him.

"Someday I'll catch you," he muttered. "And when I do, you'll regret ever double crossing me."


	2. Post Traumatic

_I was originally planning on waiting until this weekend to post this one, but I got impatient. XD Plus, there's another prompt up, so I figured I might as well go ahead and post this one so that I can work on the next one. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far; it really means a lot to me! 83 Enjoy!_

_**Prompt:** Midnight_

_**Request:** Ichigo is out on a hollow run when he happens to go past Orihime's place and finds her still awake. (Requested by the amazing **Star-chan**!)_

_**Disclaimer:** Bleach and all characters, etc. belong to **Tite Kubo**. All rights reserved._

* * *

Exhaling harshly as he shouldered Zangetsu, Ichigo watched in satisfaction as the hollow dissipated into thin air. Despite the fact that it was an easy kill, Ichigo still felt that somewhat morbid satisfaction in killing yet another hollow. Scowling as the last of the monster disappeared, his eyes grew dark as his thoughts instantly drifted to the Winter War, which they seemed to more often these past few days. Running a hand through his hair in irritation, he decided it would be better if he didn't return home right away; Rukia was bound to pester him as to why he was suddenly in such a bad mood and he didn't feel like dealing with her inquiries.

But where should he go?

After quickly surveying the desolate park he was currently occupying, he quickly made up his mind to take a walk to clear his head. It was the only thing that seemed to work these days and he wasn't one to give up on the only thing that seemed to calm him, whether it was midnight or not.

Making his way out of the park and down the street, he aimlessly wandered the empty town. No matter how many times he took these walks, he was amazed at how quiet everything seemed to be at night. The street lights cast a warm orange glow on the buildings and street and the occasional twenty-four hour convenience store lit his way. Mulling over his thoughts about the aftermath of the war, he didn't realize just how far he had wandered until a familiar reiatsu greeted him. Glancing up, his eyes widened as he found himself standing outside Orihime's apartment, her gentle reiatsu wafting around him.

Drawing closer to the building, he hesitated when he saw that her living room lights were still on. Frowning as a sense of worry overtook him, he quickly scaled the steps leading to the small apartment. Peeking through the window, he could just barely see her sitting on her couch, idly watching tv. Upon closer inspection, he saw that she wasn't paying attention to whatever was playing on the television. Instead, she seemed to be lost in her own thoughts.

_'About the war, no doubt,'_ he thought sullenly.

Just as he was about to leave her alone and head home, Orihime seemed to jerk out of whatever reverie she was in. She quickly stood and disappeared from Ichigo's vantage point, which was both worrisome and slightly disappointing.

"Kurosaki-kun? What are you doing here?"

Startled, Ichigo sprung to his feet, pressing his back against the railing as he stared at Orihime in stunned silence.

"I...er..." Struggling to find what he wanted to say, he felt his cheeks heat up in acute embarrassment as Orihime continued to peer at him, a mixture of confusion and worry in her large, expressive eyes. "I was heading home from hunting down a hollow and I...er... I noticed your lights were still on so I thought I'd check in on you," spluttered Ichigo, his breath coming out in a rush.

Orihime flushed and looked away quickly, trying to hide the blush staining her cheeks as she twisted the fabric of her pajamas in her fingers. "You really didn't need to go out of your way," she murmured.

"But it wasn't."

Orihime glanced up at the shinigami standing before her, her eyes wide at his sudden and forceful retort. Their gazes met and she was startled by the fierce emotions raging within his dark brown eyes. She could easily pinpoint several of them – frustration, determination, worry – but there were a few that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Biting her lower lip, her brow scrunched as she tried to decipher those unknown emotions. Even though she felt that she had grown closer to the man standing before her after the war, there were still things about him that she wanted to learn about.

"I wanted to make sure you were alright," muttered Ichigo as he dropped his gaze, unable to withstand Orihime's quizzical yet probing gaze.

"But I'm fine," murmured Orihime gently, her heart fluttering at the tenderness in Ichigo's voice. "You shouldn't be worried about me, Kurosaki-kun."

"I can't help it," he admitted, running his hand through his hair as he exhaled harshly. "After everything you went through in that hell-hole and then the war..." Ichigo's eyes widened when he felt a small hand resting on his forearm and as he looked up, he was met with a pair of gray eyes brimming with tears, a soft smile stretching across her face.

"Kurosaki-kun please don't worry about me. You brought me home safely, didn't you?" She quickly shook her head when she noticed him open his mouth to retort. "No matter what the others say, you rescued me."

"Inoue, I..." Swallowing thickly, Ichigo wasn't sure what to say to the healer. He had so much to say, but was unable to find the words to relay his feelings to her. "I'll see you at school tomorrow?"

"U-uhn!"

Nodding, Orihime flushed slightly when Ichigo smiled gently at her as he turned to walk down the stairs. Walking over to the railing, she watched as he jumped to the neighboring roof and out of sight. With a soft sigh, she rested her arms on the porch railing and looked out at the midnight sky. Part of her wondered what Ichigo was about to say, but she shook the feeling away. She was happy just being near him and she could live with knowing that they would continue to grow closer as time went on.


	3. The Expedition

_This one was quite a bit of fun to write. There were so many different directions I could have taken, although I had to resist the urge to make it a bit naughty. *fufu* Of course, I partially blame Rairakku for giving me such a tempting prompt, but oh well. I'm hoping that I'll find the motivation to work on one of my major fics, but so far these weekly drabbles seem to be helping. :) So keep an eye out for any updates for my main fanfics!_

_**Prompt:** Rain_

_**Request:**__An uptight Ichigo and a free-spirited Orihime are on an expedition in the jungle, searching for rare healing plants. Sweaty and tired from their work, Ichigo watches Orihime bathe and/or play in the rain before deciding to join her._ _ (Requested by the amazing __**Rairakku_hana**__!)_

_**Disclaimer:** Bleach and all characters, etc. belong to **Tite Kubo**. All rights reserved._

* * *

Pushing aside a rather large leaf, Orihime peered into the clearing, her eyes sparkling in joy. Her she was, on an adventure in the jungle in search of a rare healing plant – one that could potentially solve all worldly illnesses – and she had never felt more alive. From the exotic birds and insects buzzing and chirping above her to the small mammals scampering over the underbrush in search of food and shelter, it was exhilarating!

Now if only her partner would become a little more enthusiastic about their current predicament.

Glancing over her shoulder, she sighed at the sight of his nearly permanent scowl as he kicked a small branch out of his way. Throughout their expedition, he was either scowling – which seemed to be his most frequent expression – or he was scolding her for wandering away from their set destination. Despite his unenthusiastic demeanor, she always flushed slightly whenever their gazes locked or his hand accidentally brushed against her arm while setting up camp.

_'He _is_ rather good looking,'_ she admitted sheepishly to herself. Determined to keep her thoughts from becoming sidetracked, she forged on through the thick underbrush, pushing small branches and leaves out of her way.

As she forged on, Ichigo crossed his arms as he silently followed her, his brows furrowing in frustration. How on earth was he partnered up with this woman? They were on a very important expedition for christ's sake! Day after day he was stuck listening to her ramblings; whether they were about their surroundings or some weird dream she may have had the night before, he wasn't quite sure anymore. Not only that, but she was incredibly clumsy. It had only been two weeks, but he had already lost count of the amount of injuries she had sustained by tripping over logs or falling down small hills. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he exhaled harshly when she stumbled over a rather large rock in the middle of the path.

"Oi, watch where you're walking," he grunted.

Regaining her balance, she laughed nervously as she turned around to face him. "Ah, there you are Kurosaki-kun! I was worried that I had lost you!"

"You couldn't lose me even if you tried," he muttered, his brows furrowing at her innocent expression. "Look, it's getting late. Why don't we set up camp for the night and get some rest?"

"But we still have plenty of daylight!" protested Orihime as she gestured to the warmly glowing sky.

Ichigo quickly closed the distance between them and bopped her on the head. "Remember what happened yesterday? You said the same thing and we were fumbling around in the dark trying to set up the tent!"

"I suppose you're right..." Pouting, Orihime averted her gaze to the ground, her cheeks warming slightly at his scolding.

Nodding curtly, Ichigo shrugged his backpack off and began unhooking the rolled up tent, intent on getting it set up. "Why don't you go searching for firewood?"

"U-uhn!" Shedding her backpack, she quickly dumped it beside Ichigo and disappeared through the brush a moment later.

"Don't wander too far!" shouted Ichigo. Shaking his head, he returned at the task at hand, absently hoping that she wouldn't be mauled by a tiger or anything.

* * *

"Where the hell is she?" muttered Ichigo as he sat beside the tent.

It was past dusk and Orihime still had yet to return to camp. In her absence, he had been able to find enough timber to start a small fire as well as begin cooking their evening meal. While he wasn't the greatest cook, he decided to take it upon himself to prepare all of their meals after her disastrous attempts at cooking. With a resigned sigh, he figured he might as well go looking for her before the few rays of remaining light faded and it became too dark and too risky to venture past the camp. Rising to his feet, he brushed the dirt from his pants and was just about to set off to look for her when something rustled in the bushes just beyond the glow of his campfire. Tensing, he was preparing for the worst – a tiger or bear perhaps – when Orihime tumbled rather unceremoniously through the brush and into the campsite.

"I-Inoue?"

"Ah, hello Kurosaki-kun!" chirped Orihime, her mouth curving to form a smile.

"Wha- Where the hell were you?" he shouted. Upon further inspection, he noticed she was covered in mud, a few leaves and twigs sticking out of her hair. "And what the hell happened to you?"

"Well, you see, I was off finding firewood when I stumbled across a small clearing," began Orihime as she pushed herself to her feet. She plucked a few of the leaves from her hair as she continued, "I thought that I might have found where that plant we're searching for was, but instead it was just a big mud wallow surrounded by a small field."

Ichigo's face deadpanned at the nervous laughter emanating from the young woman. "Let me guess...you fell in, didn't you?"

"Uhn!"

Sighing, Ichigo pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to control his temper. It wasn't like she had become maimed by a large animal or anything; she just happened to wander off and fall into a large mud wallow. Nothing major, right?

"Oh goodie, you made dinner! I'm starving!"

Ichigo's eyes snapped open at her comment and he quickly reached out and grabbed the back of her mud-caked shirt, keeping her from nearing the simmering stew he had slaved over to make. "Oh no you don't. Not until you wash yourself off."

"But Kurosaki-kun!"

Ignoring her pouting, he gestured at the small stream just beyond their camp. "Go wash up. You brought some extra clothes, didn't you?"

Seeing the girl nod, he was about to let her go when a sudden clap of thunder startled them both. Looking up at the sky, he frowned when he noticed the gloomy rain clouds now covering the sky.

_'When the hell did that happen?'_ he thought sullenly.

Without another thought, he let go of Orihime's shirt and quickly began throwing their belongings into the tent, intent on clearing the campsite before the storm hit. Just as he managed to secure the last item and remove the small pot with their dinner from the fire, a sudden downpour was unleashed from the heavens. Spluttering, Ichigo scowled as he became instantly soaked to the bone, the water chilling his skin and causing his normally spiky hair to mat against his forehead. Squinting through the downpour, Ichigo could just barely see Orihime standing still, her arms outstretched and her faced turned to face the sky.

"Isn't this wonderful, Kurosaki-kun?" she cried as she spun around in a circle, a light laugh escaping her.

Blinking in surprise, Ichigo's eyes traveled down her slender figure, her clothing clinging to her curves because of the rain. He opened his mouth to respond, but quickly closed it upon realizing his thoughts had completely derailed. He wasn't entirely sure how he hadn't noticed it before, but Orihime was really rather pretty. Sure, she tended to have quite the imagination and rambled on about unimportant things. Despite her flaws, he had somehow inadvertently become drawn her to.

Without another thought as to what he was doing, he rose from his spot and quickly closed the distance between them. Orihime turned around to face him, her large brown eyes widening ever-so-slightly at his sudden close proximity. Brushing her bangs out of her face, Ichigo cupped her cheeks, bringing his face to hers, pausing a few millimeters away.

"K-Kurosaki-kun? Wh-what are you doing?" she whispered.

"I have no idea," he admitted before pressing his lips to hers.


	4. Home Is Where the Heart Is

_I was inspired to challenge myself with this one, because of my friend Lizzy. She wrote an entry for bad_shield as well, but she wrote it with no dialogue at all. Because I've never successfully written something where no dialogue is used, I figured it would be a good way to really challenge myself._

_Just a warning: lame ending is lame. DX_

_**Prompt:** "Home Is Where the Heart Is"_

_**Request:**__Orihime spending a day with the Kurosaki family, sans Ichigo. (Requested by the lovely __**simourva**__!)_

_**Disclaimer:** Bleach and all characters, etc. belong to **Tite Kubo**. All rights reserved._

* * *

A soft smile quirks the corner of her mouth as she looks on, her chin resting on her palm. The house is booming with shouts and laughter, so different from that of her quiet flat where only the occasional noise from her neighbors and her small television set greet her ears. In fact, Orihime revels in the noise; it's comforting in a way. Comforting because she knows she's no longer alone.

Her cheeks flush slightly as a comment is directed towards her, but she merely laughs and waves off the inquisitor; who is she one to scold someone's family member? An exasperated sigh greets her ears as the small raven-haired girl, who resembles her crush, continues to fend off her exuberant father's inquiries. A soft sigh escapes her plump lips as her smile falters slightly, her thoughts continuing to drift back towards a certain orange-haired boy despite her hardest efforts.

Despite everything they had been through – his becoming a shinigami to the Winter War – he had never held a grudge against her. He vehemently refused to accept any apology she may try to offer him, to apologize for all of the trouble he had gone through because of her. A soft smile would grace his lips and his eyes would soften just-so as he gazed at her, an unknown emotion shimmering in their amber-brown depths as he casually said she didn't need to apologize. He would have done anything to bring her back.

Bowing her head, her brows furrowed slightly at his cryptic words. Could he potentially mean something else by his odd word choice? Her heart fluttered at the thought, but she quickly shook her head, firmly telling herself that she was just imagining things. After all, he had gone to Soul Society to save Rukia, so was she really any different than her? Part of her desperately wanted to say yes, but the other part didn't want to get her hopes up.

A loud noise shook her from her thoughts as she jerked her head up, eyes widening at the sight before her. Isshin had somehow become laid out on the floor, blood streaming from his nose and tears in his eyes as he mindlessly wailed for someone to help him. Rising from her chair quickly, she disregarded the loud clanging that rang through the room as her chair toppled over, as she made her way towards the older man, intent on making sure he was alright. A hand reached out and grabbed her sleeve, halting her progress. Glancing behind her, her eyes widened as she saw Karin shaking her head, muttering something about letting it go.

Catching the sound of foot steps behind her, Orihime turned to look towards the entrance. Her cheeks flushed as her gaze met with Ichigo's for a moment before she quickly averted her gaze. Glancing back up at him out of the corner her eyes, she saw him scratch the back of his neck – a nervous habit of sorts, she noted – before stepping over the threshold.

As he passed her, he caught her eye and he smiled ever-so-slightly, as he was telling her that he was glad she was there. Orihime's heart pounded a fast tattoo against her ribcage as she smiled back, albeit somewhat bashfully.

It was the first time since the war ended that she truly felt like she was home. A loud, chaotic home, but a loving one none the less.


	5. Newfound Discoveries

_This one was originally called by dear Codegal, but I couldn't resist writing it as well. This one was quite a bit of fun to write, especially considering the type of fanfiction Orihime stumbled upon. Fufu. I'm hoping that I was able to keep them both in character, considering I haven't really written anything in awhile. :/ Also, anythin in italics (aside from Orihime's thoughts, but those are clearly obvious that they're thoughts) are excerpts from the amazing **Rairakku Hana**'s writing. She has some of the best lemons I've read, so it was only fitting that I decided to use some of her writing as examples of what Orihime finds. :) I hope you'll forgive me for borrowing it!_

_**Prompt:** Literature_

_**Request:**__ Orihime accidentally stumbles upon IchiHime fanfiction online while in the school library. Guess who just happens to stop by and say hello while she's investigating her new discovery?_ _(Made by the lovely __**Star-chan**__!)_

_**Disclaimer:** Bleach and all characters, etc. belong to **Tite Kubo**. All rights reserved._

_Excerpts are credited to the amazing **Rairakku Hana** and her epic fanfics!_

* * *

_Gasping for breath, Orihime restlessly ran her hand over his tensely muscled back. She was determined to stay focused, and not allow Ichigo's sensual assault to cloud her mind, leaving her a helpless victim to another of his wicked plans. _

Orihime's cheeks flushed a brilliant red, her mouth gaping as she stared at the book in her hands. She had been casually wandering around the library in search of a new book or two to take home and curl up on the couch with, a steaming cup of tea within arms reach. She definitely hadn't imagined she'd stumble upon _this_ during her search! Turning the page, she gasped softly as her eyes roved over the printed words, her heart thundering in her chest. Part of her was screaming desperately for her to quickly close the book and return it to its spot and leave before anyone discovered her, but another part – the more devious side of her, she realized – wanted to see what happened next in the obscure story.

_'No! Be strong, Orihime! Besides, what would Tatsuki-chan think if she caught you reading this?' _she mentally scolded herself. Shaking her head, the blush lingering on her cheeks, she snapped the book shut before placing it back on its shelf.

Turning on her heel, she marched out of the small, yet incredibly tempting, library section and headed towards the fantasy section instead. The closer she got to her safe haven, the more hesitant her steps became. Biting her lower lip, she glanced over her shoulder, apprehension gnawing at her insides. Why wasn't anyone else venturing into that small, dark corner of the library? Her eyes widened as that thought crossed through her mind.

_'Oh no! What if someone else finds those books?'_ she thought, her eyes darting around the large room frantically. Suddenly, she felt mortified. _'Oh no...what if Kurosaki-kun finds them?'_

Biting on her fingernails, she weighed her options as a sense of trepidation settled in her stomach. Without a second thought, she hurried back to the obscure book section. Glancing around, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other as she tried to think of what to do. Should she check out all of the books? A quick glance at the numerous volumes squelched that idea as soon as it popped into her head. There were too many books for her to check out, let alone carry home without help from someone else.

_'Maybe...maybe no one else can see these,' _she thought, her brows furrowing. _'Yeah. It's something that only I can see! Those silly gnomes and elves must be playing tricks on me again.'_

Sending a furtive glance at the shelves, she chewed on her lower lip as a single question rolled around in her head.

If she was the only one that could see this section, shouldn't she indulge in her curiosity? Surely one little book wouldn't hurt...

Hesitantly, she reached out to pluck a book from a shelf – this time a rather large, red volume with golden lettering stamped on the spine – her hand shakily noticeably as she opened the tome.

_No longer following any sort of rhythm, his hips slapped wildly against hers. Feeling her body tense unwillingly, there was a fever was burning through her blood, taking over, possessing her. Orihime tossed her head back with a sharp gasp as she mindlessly flexed her hips in cadence with his. _

"Inoue?"

With a surprised squeak, Orihime slammed the book shut and spun around, hiding the book behind her back. Her cheeks flushed in shame and humiliation as her crush walked up to her, a confused look on his face. Boy was she in for it now! Surely he'd think she was a shameful woman, reading such inappropriate things. In a public place no less! Squeezing her eyes shut, she fought back the sudden onslaught of tears as his footsteps grew closer. Mustering up a light hearted smile, she blinked back the tears clinging to her lashes.

"H-hello Kurosaki-kun!" she stammered. "What are you doing here?"

Scratching the back of his neck, Ichigo averted his gaze from her, as if he was embarrassed. "I was just coming to see if they had something I was looking for."

Orihime felt her curiosity suddenly peak at his statement; Kurosaki-kun liked to read? "Eh? What is it you were looking for?"

"Just a play. Nothing special," replied Ichigo, shrugging nonchalantly at her inquiry. Noticing the rather large book she was trying unsuccessfully to hide, he cocked his brow as he pointed to it. "What's that behind your back?"

Orihime could have sworn her heart stopped beating at his innocent question. Stammering, she withdrew the book from behind her back and laughed nervously.

"I-I'm not entirely sure! I was just looking around and it fell off the shelf! I was just about to put it back when you showed up," she replied. She inwardly cursed at the fact that her voice was shaking and she hoped that Ichigo hadn't noticed.

Turning around, she stood on her tiptoes, intending to return the book to its spot. Her eyes widened in mortification when the book was suddenly plucked from her grasp.

"K-K-Kurosaki-kun!" she gasped as she turned around, only to see him flipping through the pages. To her horror, he ignored her cries and let his eyes rove over the pages, a dull blush steadily creeping up his cheeks.

_'Mou! He must think so poorly of me now!'_ she thought morosely, tears brimming on the edges of her eyes.

Several moments passed in silence with Orihime fretting over how shameful Ichigo surely thought she was and Ichigo merely continuing to read the book with increasing interest. Finally, he glanced up to look at her, his eyes mysteriously darker and more intense than normal.

"Inoue...what_ is_ this?" he asked softly, his voice thick and somewhat husky.

Shivering under his intense gaze, Orihime flushed brightly as she chewed on her bottom lip. "I...I'm not sure. I just found it and -"

"I think it's about us."

"Eh?"

"I don't know what it is exactly," murmured Ichigo as he turned over the book to look at the cover. "But it's definitely about us."

"Wh-what should we do?" whispered Orihime, her heart clenching painfully.

Placing the book back on the shelf, Ichigo shrugged. He was at a loss of what to do himself, but he figured that the fact that he found her in this section of the library – reading about the two of them doing _that_ of all things – was some sort of sign. A sign from a sick, twisted God of some sort, but a sign none the less. Seeing the puzzled look she was giving him, he smiled softly.

"There's not really anything we can do about it. Besides, I don't think anyone else even knows that this is here. And hopefully no one will ever find out about it. Let's just keep this between us, okay?"

"U-uhn!" Nodding enthusiastically, Orihime smiled in relief. He didn't think she was a horrible person after all!

Scratching the back of his neck, Ichigo awkwardly shoved his free hand in his pocket. "Er...would you like me to walk you home?"

"Eh?" Orihime's eyes widened in surprise, her train of thought screeching to a halt. "N-no, that's alright Kurosaki-kun! You don't have to! I don't want to be a bother!"

"You're not a bother, Inoue."

Orihime stopped her mindless flailing at his quiet statement, her cheeks heating up so quickly she was sure her face was on the verge of exploding. She caught his gaze and although there were no words exchanged, Orihime nodded in acceptance of his offer to walk her home.

As they quietly made their way out of the library and down the street to Orihime's apartment, both secretly admitted to themselves that they'd have to check out that new, reclusive corner of the library again.


	6. Stupid, Sexy Ichigo

_This one was actually supposed to be written awhile ago, but real life got in the way of writing. *sigh* Either way, this one was pretty fun to write. It's pretty silly at first, but then has hints of naughtiness at the end, so I hope you guys like it! :D _

_**Prompt:** Stupid Sexy Ichigo_

_**Request:**__Ichigo and Orihime are married and Orihime accidentally walks in on Ichigo while he's in the shower.__(Requested by __**Star-chan**__!)_

_**Disclaimer:** Bleach and all characters, etc. belong to **Tite Kubo**. All rights reserved._

* * *

Humming softly to herself, Orihime bustled about the small apartment, putting away freshly folded laundry. Although it was one of few chores that she loathed, she did it without question, especially since her husband was busy with another large-scale project for his firm and wasn't home as often as he usually was. A soft giggle escaped her and her cheeks flushed slightly at the thought.

Her husband.

Even though they had been married for well over a year, she always became rather giggly when she thought that she had finally, after all these years, married the man of her dreams. Glancing at the wedding ring on her finger, a soft smile tugged at her lips.

_'Mrs. Kurosaki,' _she thought with a small laugh, her eyes dancing with mirth. Call her childish or a daydreamer, but she still couldn't believe that Ichigo had chosen her of all people to be his wife.

The sound of the door slamming caught her attention and she hurriedly closed the dresser drawer before padding towards the front door of their living quarters. Ichigo stood in the doorway, ruggedly handsome as always, a deep scowl on his lips as he loosened his confining tie. She watched as he finally loosened the dreadful article of clothing and set his briefcase down on the small table beside the coat hooks, bouncing on the balls of her feet with anticipation. Ichigo's gaze drifted from his shoes he was currently removing from his aching feet and met Orihime's.

A shudder wracked through her body at the intense look in his eyes, but she simply smiled brightly and clapped her hands together.

"Welcome home, dear!" she cried happily, her cheeks reddening as Ichigo approached her.

"You don't have to meet me at the door every time I come home from work," he muttered. Truth be told, he felt a bit guilty whenever Orihime would rush to the door to greet him. But then again, after a long day at work, her bright smiles were like a drink of cool water and helped soothe his endlessly frayed nerves.

"But I want to!" she protested, her lower lip jutting out in a small pout. "What kind of wife would I be if I didn't greet my husband when he returned home?"

Stifling a small chuckle at her petulant expression, Ichigo dropped a quick kiss to his wife's forehead before heading down the hall.

"I'm going to take a shower," he called over his shoulder as he began shedding his office attire.

"Uhn! I'll get started on dinner!"

With that, Orihime hurried into the kitchen and rolled up her sleeves as she contemplated what to make that evening.

* * *

Glancing at everything laid out on the table, Orihime nodded in satisfaction. It wasn't necessarily something she would have ever pictured herself making, but she knew Ichigo would appreciate her less questionable conquests in the kitchen. Bouncing over to the stove, she stirred the small pot of miso soup on the stove before performing a last-second taste test. Deciding that it was adequately seasoned, she wiped her hands on the small dish towel hanging on the oven's handle. Her brows furrowed as she exited the room, curious as to why Ichigo hadn't emerged from the bathroom. It had been well over forty-five minutes since he had returned home and he typically didn't take that long in the bathroom.

Crossing her arms over her ample bosom, she tapped her index finger on her chin in thought. Perhaps he had fallen asleep in the shower; she had been known to do that on occasion, but it was out of character for Ichigo. Her eyes widened in horror as a thought crossed her mind.

_'Oh no! What if the ghouls that live in the drain came out and attacked Ichigo?'_ she thought frantically. After a moment of panicked deliberation, she decided that it was up to her to rescue her husband from those naughty ghouls.

Grabbing the first thing she could find – a rolled up magazine in this case – she sprinted towards the bathroom, her eyes screwed shut. Pushing the door open with a bang, she bravely brandished her weapon.

"Back you vile ghouls! Don't you dare lay a hand on my husband!" she cried valiantly.

"Orihime, what the hell are you doing?"

Bewildered, Orihime opened her eyes, her arm immediately falling limp by her side as her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. Ichigo stood before her, an equally bewildered look on his face as water dripped down his tanned skin. Swallowing thickly, Orihime couldn't stop her gaze from traversing the contours of his physique of its own accord. She followed the trail of water as it dripped down his toned arms and ripped abs, disappearing into the fluffy towel secured – just barely – around his hips.

"Ohmygosh, I'm so sorry!" she cried as her hands flew up to cover her eyes, her cheeks a brilliant red as she tried in vain to push aside the naughty thoughts brewing in her mind.

Raising an eyebrow at his wife's peculiar behavior, Ichigo remained rooted to his spot. He had always fantasized about his wife jumping him while he was in the shower, but he never imagined something like this.

"Orihime...?" he called out softly, unsure of how to approach his embarrassed spouse.

"I-I was worried because you were in the shower for so long..." she mumbled as she peeked between her index and middle finger at him. "I thought that the ghouls that lived in the drain had attacked you or something," she admitted reluctantly.

After a brief moment of uncertainty, Ichigo burst into laughter at Orihime's admittance. Orihime indignantly gasped at his outburst of laughter and her cheeks heated in shame as her tiny hands curled into fists at her side. After a few minutes, Ichigo's laughter subsided and he quickly closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around the offended woman.

"I'm sorry, but that was quite possibly the wildest thing you've come up with yet," he murmured into her hair, a wide grin still on his face.

"I don't see what's so funny about it," she huffed. "I was really worried about you."

Deciding that action would be better than words at this point, Ichigo tilted her head up and claimed her lips in a gentle kiss. Orihime's anger seemed to melt away as she met his lips again and again, each kiss becoming more heated.

"What do you say you help protect me from these evil ghouls?" whispered Ichigo, his eyes intense with lust as he nipped at the side of Orihime's neck.

"But what about dinner?" she questioned, her eyes equally intense as she gazed up at him.

"We can reheat it later."

Giggling, Orihime resigned herself to her fate and gladly joined Ichigo in his fight against the naughty ghouls that lived in the shower drain.


	7. Reunions

_This one took a little bit of brainstorming so that it wouldn't be as cliché as a lot of other stories involving reunions, but I think I did an OK job. Big thanks to **Rairakku Hana** for letting me pick her brain! Love you, babe!_

_**Prompt:** Reunion_

_**Request:**__Ten year class reunion! It can be a reunion between Ichigo and Orihime or Ichigo and Orihime going to their reunion together, doesn't matter! (Requested by __**CrystalDawn**__!)_

_**Disclaimer:** Bleach and all characters, etc. belong to **Tite Kubo**. All rights reserved._

* * *

A loud knock on her front door startled Orihime, but she quickly made her way through the small apartment as she threaded the small silver hoop through her ear. Smoothing out any wrinkles of her baby blue cocktail dress, she smiled brightly as she opened the door and found her best friend standing before her, green eyes twinkling in joy.

"Tatsuki-chan!" cried Orihime gleefully before wrapping her arms around the tomboy in a tight hug. "I missed you!"

Chuckling, Tatsuki patted Orihime lightly on the back. "I missed you too. It's been awhile since we've been able to hang out."

"Yeah," nodding in agreement, Orihime stood back to let her friend in before continuing, "Work has been pretty hectic with that new proposal we've been trying to get started."

"How's that going for you anyway?" Tatsuki glanced around the small apartment, not noticing much of a difference from when the two of them were in highschool. The room was sparsely decorated, save for a few photos Orihime had accumulated during college and a small vase of flowers beside her brother's shrine.

"It's going great!" chirped Orihime as she quickly gathered her lipgloss, keys and cell phone before dumping them into her small silver clutch. "Aoyama-san helped us come up with the proposal but Mina-chan and I have been super busy with the artwork and presentation boards. I'm a little nervous about presenting it to the board though..."

"Orihime, you'll do great." Clasping a hand on Orihime's shoulder, Tatsuki grinned as she reassured her friend. "But are you nervous about tonight?"

Shaking her head, Orihime's smile brightened - if that was at all possible - as she slipped on her heels by the front door. "Not really. I'm really excited to see everybody! It's been ten years since we graduated. I'm curious to see how everyone is doing."

A devilish grin spread across Tatsuki's face as she nudged her friend playfully in the side. "That's not what I meant and you know it. Aren't you nervous to see a certain orange-haired punk?"

"Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime's cheeks flushed slightly under her friend's teasing and she chewed on her lower lip.

Laughing, Tatsuki put her arm around Orihime's shoulders and pulled her friend out of the small apartment.

* * *

"Oi, there you are Kurosaki!"

Glancing over his shoulder, Ichigo's eyes narrowed as Ishida sauntered up to him, a wine glass in hand. Taking a swig of his beer, Ichigo leaned against the wall and slipped a hand into his pocket.

"What the hell do you want Ishida?" he grumbled. "Here to rub in your success some more?"

"Quite the contrary," stated Ishida coldly, his blue eyes glinting dangerously. While he had taken over his father's hospital and benefited from it, he secretly admired Ichigo's drive and freedom to become a journalist. Of course, he'd never admit that. "I was wondering if you had seen Inoue-san yet."

Turning his gaze towards the sea of people in front of him, Ichigo grunted before taking another swig of his drink. "I haven't seen her yet."

"She looks quite beautiful tonight," remarked the Quincy as he adjusted his glasses. "It's a shame that you never figured out your feelings for her earlier."

Ichigo's grip tightened on his bottle and he felt his heart accelerate as he fought the urge to clock the Quincy. Regretfully he didn't acknowledge his feelings for the healer until they had graduated from high school and gone their separate ways for college. He'd admit to that, but he didn't enjoy having other people bring it up all the time.

Grunting noncommittally, Ichigo pushed himself away from the wall and began to make his way through the crowd. While he was happy to see everyone from high school, he just wanted to go home and relax. Work had been grueling all week and the last thing he wanted to do was spend his one night off chatting with people he hadn't seen in ten years. Pausing to down the rest of his drink, he caught a flash of auburn out of the corner of his eye. Glancing around, he saw Orihime - as beautiful as he remembered - talking animatedly with Chad, Tatsuki, Ishida, and the rest of their high school friends. Chucking his empty beer bottle in the trash can, he calmly made his way over to the group. Tatsuki noticed him approaching and waved to him, which caused everyone else to turn their attention to him.

"Kurosaki-kun, you made it!"

Scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, Ichigo's eyes softened as he gazed at the young woman before him. "Uhh...yeah. I was just about to head out though."

"Oh..." Looking slightly dejected, Orihime approached him and quickly stood on her tip-toes to press a kiss to his cheek. "I'll see you when I get home. Oh, and you forgot to put the key under the mat again."

Laughing sheepishly, Ichigo smiled softly at her. "Sorry. You know how I am about remembering how to do that."

Nodding, Orihime waved good-bye to Ichigo, a bright smile on her face. She suddenly felt as if she had ten pairs of eyes on her and she slowly turned around, her eyes wide with apprehension as she saw all of her friends staring at her slack-jawed. Sighing softly, Orihime puffed her cheeks out in irritation. Now that Ichigo had fled before they could tell everyone that they were not only dating, but living together, she faced the task of telling everyone all alone.

As she tried calming down Tatsuki, she promised herself that she would get back at Ichigo for leaving her to do his dirty work.


	8. Maid

_This one was started a few weeks ago, but I kind of forgot about it for awhile. Whoops! It's not the greatest and the ending is kind of a cop out (at least, I feel like it is), but I hope you guys enjoy it anyway!_

_**Prompt:** Maid_

_**Request:**__ Ichigo comes home from work to find Orihime dressed up as a maid for him. (Requested by __**Star-chan**__!)_

_**Disclaimer:** Bleach and all characters, etc. belong to **Tite Kubo**. All rights reserved._

* * *

Groaning, Ichigo kicked the door to his apartment open as he reached up to loosen his tie. After a long day at the office (spent dealing with some people that he _swore_ may have been dropped on their heads as children), he wanted nothing more than to have a relaxing night at home with his girlfriend. Setting his briefcase down and slipping his confining dress shoes off, he ventured into the living room, removing his suit jacket in the process.

"Orihime?" he called out into the eerily quiet apartment. Usually she was home much earlier than he was and it was fairly normal for her to come bounding out of her office to greet him in the afternoons.

Just as her name left his lips, he heard the distinct scrape of a chair sliding across the hardwood floor. His scowl softened slightly when a bit of auburn hair came into his peripheral vision, but his train of thought quickly derailed at the sight that greeted him.

"Welcome home, Ichigo-sama!" chirped the young woman standing in front of him.

Her hair had been curled into something resembling corkscrews and a black and white maid outfit hugged her curvaceous form. Ichigo couldn't stop his eyes from drifting from her face down to her chest, which was much more noticeable than normal due to the corset cinching her waist and pushing her breasts up.

"What the hell are you wearing?" he spluttered, his cheeks growing a bit warm as he forced his gaze back up to her smiling face.

"Oh, this?" She blushed a bit as she toyed with the hem of her ruffled skirt. "Rangiku-san gave it to me and told me that you'd enjoy it. Plus, you've been working so hard lately to finish up that project that I thought I could take care of everything and let you relax."

"You really didn't need to go this far," he muttered. "And didn't we agree that you wouldn't accept anymore gifts like this from Rangiku? That nurse costume was bad enough..."

Clapping her hands together, Orihime all but ignored Ichigo's comment about her previous escapades as she curtsied and gestured towards the kitchen.

"Dinner is ready, Ichigo-sama. You should hurry and eat before it becomes cold."

"S-sama? You really don't need to call me-" Ichigo was cut off as Orihime placed her small hands on his back and pushed him towards the doorway.

"Yes I do silly. It's part of the costume. As your maid, I'll do whatever you want me to," she chided softly as she bustled about the kitchen for a moment. Once everything was on the table, she stood off the side, a small smile on her face as she watched Ichigo stare at the lavish meal in awe.

"You didn't have to go to all this trouble," he said as he glanced up at her. His brows furrowed when he noted that she wasn't planning on sitting down to join him. "Orihime, sit down and eat."

"Ah, I ate before Ichigo-sama got home," she chirped happily. "So please, eat!"

"I'm not eating until you join me."

He watched in amusement as her brows puckered in thought – he was sure that he had won this little battle – only to stare in open-mouthed horror as she swiftly picked up his utensils and promptly tried to serve him dinner.

"Say aaah~" Ichigo shook his head defiantly, his lips clamped shut. "Come on, Ichigo-sama," she pleaded.

"There's no way in hell-" Blinking in surprise, it took him a moment to realize that she had promptly stuck a spoonful of curry into his mouth. Swallowing thickly, he glowered at her pleased expression, furious with himself for doing something so stupid as opening his big, fat mouth to argue with her.

"See? It isn't so bad," cooed Orihime as she turned to refill the spoon.

Her smile faded and the spoon clattered noisily against the plate as it slipped through her fingers, her widening in surprise. Ichigo grinned devilishly as he groped her large breasts, mentally noticing just how much they were straining against the fabric of her outfit. He deftly pulled her into his lap, her skirt riding up her creamy thighs in the process.

Stammering, Orihime tried to wriggle out of his grasp, which caused him to tighten his grip. "I-Ichigo, wh-"

"Didn't you say you'd do anything I wanted?" he murmured as he nipped at her exposed neck.

"Well y-yes, but..." Orihime trailed off in embarrassment as she nervously bit her lip.

Without another word, Ichigo stood up with Orihime safely in his arms and made his way down the hall towards their bedroom. If Orihime wanted to be a maid for a day, he might as well live out one of his fantasies.


	9. Corporate

_Considering I don't have my own computer (mine is off for repairs and I'm stealing my boyfriend's computer right now) I'd say this turned out fairly decent. The ending is kind of a loose translation since I haven't decided if I'll be writing a sequel to it or not (maybe M rated?) If you'd like to see a part 2, send me a review and let me know! :D_

_**Prompt:**__ Corporate_

_**Request:**__ Worker Orihime is falling in love with her boss, Kurosaki Ichigo. (Requested by __**Star-chan**__!)_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Bleach and all characters, etc. belong to __**Tite Kubo**__. All rights reserved._

_

* * *

_

'_Calm down, Orihime. You can do this.'_

As she continued to chant the mantra silently to herself, Orihime nervously peered around the corner. Through the large glass window of the office, she could clearly see the bright orange hair of her boss, Kurosaki Ichigo. Her heart twanged loudly in her chest and her hands trembled as she clutched the papers she was supposed to be delivering him as if they were a lifeline.

It wasn't that she was scared of him. In fact, it was quite the contrary; she was falling hopelessly in love with him.

She wasn't sure if it was the way he was so devoted to his work or the permanent scowl on his face or even the way his gaze always seemed to soften ever so slightly when he was talking to her, but Orihime couldn't stop the inevitable blush that rose in her cheeks whenever she was near him. Biting her lower lip, she inwardly wished that she had the courage to tell him how she felt, but she shook her head furiously. There was no way she could do that! Inter-office relationships were typically frowned upon and she couldn't jeopardize her position simply because of some silly feelings that she had for her boss.

Taking a deep breath, she marched across the room, ignoring the glances her co-workers sent her, and rapped her knuckles lightly against the door.

Opening the door to poke her head into the spacious office, she said "Kurosaki-san, I've brought those papers you asked for."

"Put them on the table, would you?"

Gingerly slipping the papers onto the dark mahogony table beside the door, Orihime glanced at her boss. His gaze was directed towards a stack of papers, a pen in his hand, poised as if he were making notes on a report. His lips were in a thin line, showing that he wasn't entirely pleased with what he was going over. Deciding that it was best if she were to leave him to his work, Orihime turned to make her leave.

"Inoue, wait a second."

Surprised, Orihime released her grip on the door knob to turn and face him. He was now leaning back in his chair, the stack of papers before him forgotten as his lips curved upwards into a smirk.

She felt her cheeks flush under his gaze as she stammered, "Y-yes?"

"Have you heard anything about the Miyazaki account yet?"

"Ah… Not yet, but I'll be sure to inform you when I do." Secretly, she was a little disappointed that he only wanted to talk about business, but she mentally scolded herself. It's not like he knew her feelings for him. And even if he did, it wasn't likely that he'd reciprocate them.

After a moment's pause, Ichigo suddenly rose to his feet and made his way towards his assistant, his steps slow and deliberate, as if he were trying not to startle her. Orihime's breath caught in her throat at his sudden closeness, the spicy scent of his cologne wafting around her. Her body was frozen as he reached up and leisurely wrapped a lock of her auburn hair around his index finger.

"Thanks for being such a great assistant, Inoue," he murmured. Orihime's eyes widened for a brief second when she noticed that there was some sort of unknown emotion glinting in Ichigo's eyes, amdist the firey determination that was always present.

"I-it's really not a problem, Kurosaki-san. I'm just doing my job," she stammered. She swore that Ichigo could hear her heart's erratic beating.

Their gazes locked for a mere second and Orihime felt the sudden urge to tell him everything; her feelings for him, how she longed for them to be more than just co-workers – even if it jeopardized her position at the firm – and how she had always admired him from afar. Before she had the chance to do that, she took a tentative step back, a shaky smile on her face.

"I…I should get back to work."

Ichigo nodded and dropped his hand to his side as if nothing had happened. "Thanks for gathering those documents for me."

Orihime nodded jerkily before rushing out of his office and back to her desk. Plopping down in her seat, she exhaled shakily as she place a hand on her pounding heart. Even as she closed her eyes, she could see the intensity of his gaze as he approached her and part of her – the less rational part – wondered what sort of emotion that was. Shaking her head and bringing herself back to reality, she sighed dejectedly as she turned her attention to an e-mail notification that had popped up on her computer monitor.

'_Kurosaki-san, please don't look at me like that anymore,'_ she thought sadly as she worried her lower lip. _'If you do, I'll end up telling you everything and then I may not get to see you ever again.'_


	10. Corporate II

_Due to an overwhelming desire for this, I present to you: a continuation of my first prompt for Corporate! I left it on kind of a cliffhanger since I'm debating writing this as a full-fledged fanfic once I finish up a couple of my current ones. So please don't kill me for the ending. DX Or the lack of smut._

_**Prompt:**__ Corporate_

_**Request:**__ Worker Orihime is falling in love with her boss, Kurosaki Ichigo. (Requested by __**Star-chan**__!)_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Bleach and all characters, etc. belong to __**Tite Kubo**__. All rights reserved._

_

* * *

_

Glancing up from the stack of papers he was supposed to be going over, Ichigo caught sight of his auburn-haired assistant through the large window in his office wall. At first, he couldn't understand why the architect had decided to put it there in the first place. If he was being completely honest with himself, he was pretty damn pissed when he came home from a lengthy business trip to find a gaping hole in his office's wall. Of course, once he had gotten a good look at his new assistant, his anger had died instantaneously.

Shortly before his business trip, his previous assistant had informed him that she would have to resign from her position due to her husband being transferred to Kyoto. Although he was disappointed to be losing such a dedicated worker, he was happy to hear that she was more than willing to do the interviews for her replacement for him. No doubt to save him the hassle, which he was thankful for.

Although his office walls sufficiently blocked out the noise of phones ringing, keys clacking on computer keyboards and idle chatter of his co-workers, Ichigo could distinctly see that his assistant was struggling with something. Whatever it was, it caused a bright blush to warm her cheeks and Ichigo couldn't stop the thoughts that were now running rampant in his mind.

No matter how hard he tried to squelch those thoughts, his desire to simply pin her to a wall and claim her plump lips in a searing kiss because more and more intense. Of course, the fact that she always came to work wearing form-fitting pencil skirts that showed off her hips and the curve of her ass and blouses that showed off her ample chest didn't help calm his fantasies in the least. Trying to ignore the sudden heating of his blood at the mental image of his assistant crying his name out in the throes of passion, Ichigo turned his attention back to the stack of papers before him. Perhaps some mind-numbing paperwork would get his mind off of her.

Unfortunately, Fate seemed to have other plans.

Just as he was marking something that needed to be re-evaluated on the report, a tentative knock greeted his ears moments before the door opened.

"Kurosaki-san, I've brought those papers you asked for."

Refusing to glance up at the sound of her voice, just on the off-chance that he would give in to his desires, he grunted. "Put it on the table, would you?"

The sound of rustling papers greeted his ears, followed by tentative footsteps headed towards the door. Setting his pen down, he leaned back in his chair, his eyes roving over her rounded bottom as she made to open the door.

Without thinking, he called out to her, "Inoue, wait a second."

As she turned towards him, confusion shining in her wide, brown eyes, Ichigo found himself floundering for something to say. His lips curved upwards as a smirk graced his features as she fidgeted under his gaze; she probably wasn't even aware that she had.

"Y-yes?" she stammered, a faint blush rising in her cheeks.

"Have you heard anything about the Miyazaki account yet?" Ichigo mentally kicked himself. _'Way to sound like a work-crazed jackass.'_

"Ah… Not yet, but I'll be sure to inform you when I do."

Seeing the dejected look on her face, Ichigo rose to his feet and slowly closed the distance between them. Without a second thought, he reached up and wound a lock of her hair around his index finger. He noticed her eyes widening as her breath seemed to catch in her throat and her body stiffened slightly, as if she wasn't sure what to do in this sort of situation.

"Thanks for being such a great assistant, Inoue," he murmured. His blood was pounding so loudly in his ears that he almost didn't hear her response.

"I-it's really not a problem, Kurosaki-san. I'm just doing my job," she stammered.

Just as Ichigo was about to say to hell with protocol and capture those sweet lips in a kiss, she took a step backwards, breaking the spell she seemed to have him under.

"I…I should get back to work."

Dropping his hand to his side as if he had suddenly been filled with lead, Ichigo tried to hide his disappointment by replacing his stoic demeanor. "Thanks for gathering those papers for me."

He watched as she nodded jerkily and all but ran out of his office and to her desk. After a moment, Ichigo sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he returned to his chair. Leaning back, he stared absently at the ceiling.

'_Inoue, why do you have to be so damn tempting?_' he thought miserably_. 'You have no idea how badly I want to tell you how I feel about you.'_

Frowning, he shook his head as a determined glint shone in his amber eyes. Kurosaki Ichigo hadn't become one of the youngest CEOs in the Tokyo business district for nothing. He knew what he wanted and come hell or high water, he always managed to obtain it.

As he set his gaze on his assistant, a knowing smirk curved his lips. She had no idea what she was in for, but Ichigo couldn't wait to put his plans into motion.


	11. Give Me a Reason to Love You

_So...I know it's been a while since I've updated this. I've been having terrible writer's block, but I'm trying to get all caught up on these prompts from the community. Hopefully I've done a good job! In this one Orihime is a spy/agent of some company and ended up using Ichigo and his friends and family in order to get close to her target. I don't have all the details; it just seemed fun to write, lol._

_**Prompt:**_ _"Give me a reason to love you."_

_**Request:**_ _"You have betrayed me more totally than I ever believed possible, and hurt everyone I love past bearing. So tell me why I still feel this way when I look at you."__ (Requested by __**amazing_e_ko**__!)_

_**Disclaimer:**_ _Bleach and all characters, etc. belong to __**Tite Kubo**__. All rights reserved._

* * *

Scowling, Ichigo looked at the woman standing before him, his eyes blazing with anger and hurt. Her gaze, although it was the same brown eyes he had come to love, was cold and unfeeling. His fingers curled into a fist and his body shook with rage; he still couldn't believe that she was the same person he had trusted with all of his being.

"How...how could you?" he ground out, unable to hold her gaze any longer.

"What do you mean?"

Gritting his teeth, Ichigo fought the urge to shake some sense into her and kept his gaze directed towards his shoes. "You know damn well what I mean. You took advantage of me! Of my family! Our friends!"

A light laugh greeted his ears, causing him to look up at her, the color draining from his face. "Kurosaki-kun, you know as well as I that I was never your friend. You were all pawns in the grand scheme of things. Nothing more."

"That's a lie!" he bellowed. His heart ached with every word that fell from her lips. His brain tried telling him that she was speaking the truth, that none of it could have ever happened even if luck was truly on his side, but he wouldn't believe it.

Orihime tilted her head to the side, her auburn hair spilling over her shoulder, the black fabric of her suit a stark contrast against the fiery strands. "And what makes you think that?"

"We..." Swallowing thickly, Ichigo kept his gaze on hers, hoping that there was a bit of truth to the time they had spent together. "All of those times that you told me you loved me, were they a lie?"

Ichigo stared at her, a pregnant pause in the air as Orihime seemingly contemplated her answer. Just as he was about to reiterate his question, she answered.

"Yes."

"So all of it - all of us - was a lie?" he croaked.

"Yes."

Averting his gaze once again, Ichigo vaguely heard the roll of thunder overhead but never registered the slight drizzle that soaked his hair and his clothing as the silence between them stretched onwards. His mind was reeling, his heart aching. His stomach lurched as he thought about all of the times they had shared together. The joy, the love, the best thing that had happened to him since the death of his mother...and it was all a lie. One big act put on in order for her to obtain her target. He should have known better; there was no way someone as perfect as her could have swept into his blood-stained life and brighten his outlook on life the way she had.

Sensing that their conversation was at an end, Orihime turned on her heel but was stopped as Ichigo's hoarse voice called out to her.

"How is it that despite everything you've done to me - all of the lying and deceit - you can act like nothing is wrong?"

Turning back to face him, Orihime's gaze softened slightly. "Because it's my job," she whispered.

Glancing up at her soft words, Ichigo continued on. "Even though you've betrayed me - my family, our friends - more than I could ever think was possible, how come I still feel this way when I look at you?"

Orihime closed the distance between them, her high heels clacking against the wet pavement and rested her palm on his cheek. "It's because no matter how fake I was, your emotions are real. And I'm sorry for that." Leaning in, she dropped a feather-light kiss on his cheek before pulling away, a soft smile on her face. "If it's any consolation, you made me feel like the luckiest girl in the world, even though it wasn't for very long."

Without another word, Ichigo watched as she turned away and made her way towards the train station and out of his life. Through the rain, he couldn't distinguish his tears from the rain slipping over his face. Giving in to his emotions for the first time since his mother's passing, he fell to his knees as he watched her figure disappear into the darkness, his heart broken.


End file.
